JayceLand.com

Weekly Rochester Events #427: A Minuit Number of Beads

Thursday, March 15, 2007

I can't believe it's taken me this long. For nearly 2 years I've misspelled the fun ska band Mrs. Skannotto as "Scannotto". I kept wondering what was wrong with the database that it would never find "Mrs. Ska" correctly as a search string. It's so embarrassing ... I decided to go back and fix all the typos that I had in the past. So now the record is clean: the past has been changed. Well, at least as far as anybody knows now and assuming they don't read this paragraph.

Anyway, last Wednesday I made it out to The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) I finally had a chance to see Le ballon rouge (The Red Balloon) which, being somebody who sees a lot of films, I should have seen already ... at least by those arbitrary standards to which I'm measured. Ali saw it years ago and didn't like it. I tend to like films where nothing happens and rather enjoyed it. It really is a parable of the magic in life, loss, and hope. The second film, Zéro de conduite: Jeunes diables au collège, on the other hand, was less enjoyable. I guess it was impressive given it was made in 1933 but it was more like those kids movies today where they revolt or save a park or something and do it in a way that would be completely ineffective. You know the kind: they dump paint on the evil lawyers and save the summer camp — when in reality they would be charged with first degree assault and the camp would get bulldozed.

One last thing on The Red Balloon: the star of the film is Pascal Lamorisse, son of filmmaker Albert Lamorisse. Pascal was born in 1950 and was around 6 years old when the film was made. I did a cursory search of the Internet but found only the birthdate-biography on The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) and The Red Balloon entry at Wikipedia. As far as I can tell, Pascal is likely still alive ... I was curious if he had any thoughts on the film himself, particularly since it's been 50 years.

So on Thursday Ali and I headed to Benucci's (3349 Monroe Ave., in the Pittsford Plaza) for dinner. They still make an awesome garlic butter — probably a whole garlic clove per cup of whipped butter. Mmmmm. The rest of the meal was good but not great. The pasta is fresh and well prepared but the sauces were a bit lackluster. It's been at least 5 years since I was there last and I remember liking it better then.

Friday night I went to the Dryden again to see My Country, My Country. It's about Dr. Riyadh, a medical doctor working in a clinic in Iraq. With the impending elections of January, 2005, he decided to run for office. He spent his days working at the clinic treating a mix of common illnesses and wartime injuries. By the time of the elections, he's skeptical of their validity — a sentiment echoed by other Iraqis. In one segment, an English-speaking Iraqi in training for security-duty questions his military American teacher (a stereotypically arrogant and condescending kind of guy) on his reference to the elections as a "show", asking (arms-folded): "is it a show or is it real?"

In essence, this is the kind of film that confirms my belief of what Iraq is like today. It's a place where people are trying to live their day-to-day lives, go to work, watch television, endure frequent power outages, revel in the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, cautiously approach the elections, and lament that there is no end in sight. I see that although bombs don't explode daily in every neighborhood, even one bomb every 6 months is enough to put people on edge (and what's the American standard?: a bomb every century perhaps?) The city life depicted in the film is most akin to a rough inner-city neighborhood in America — the weekly crackle of gunfire, an occasional kidnapping-for-money, and the desire for the majority of people to just be left alone. It's most different in the power outages and the occasional explosion.

Saturday was another movie night at the Dryden: this time to see Roozi ke zan shodam (The Day I Became A Woman). It's a fictional tale of women in Iraqi life and is told in three parts. The first part was bittersweet as a young girl is declared a woman because she turned 9 and is no longer allowed to play with her friend; the second was traumatic as a woman flees from her husband by bicycle and she's eventually caught and brought back; and the last is a bit humorous as an old woman buys all the things she always wanted, only to forget one last thing (leaving only one string tied to her finger.) It feels rather bizarre altogether ... I rather liked it, though.

Later I met up with Ali and her friend Stacie at Lux LoungeMySpace link (666 South Ave.) for a few drinks. We also made a pilgrimage to Vertex (169 N. Chestnut St.), got back really late, and visited Dogtown Hots (691 Monroe Ave.) for some late-night food. By then it was already 4:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Yeesh. Thankfully on Sunday we had a much more relaxing day around Canandaigua. We got out for brunch after noon at The Villager Restaurant (245 S. Main St., Canandaigua) for a good diner-quality meal. Aside from that it was just lounging around.


M
O
V
I
E
S
  • The Dead Girl (at The Little) - The murder of a woman brings unrelated people together.
  • Italianetz (The Italian, at The Little) - A kid in a Russian orphanage is adopted by an Italian family — an advantageous position — but he begins to wonder about his biological mother despite being unable to change his predicament.

T
H
U
R
S
D
A
Y
Today at 12 p.m. in the Rundel Auditorium on the third floor of the Rundel Building of The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.), author Chris Bohjalian will speak about his book The Buffalo Soldier which was selected for this year's "If All of Rochester Read the Same Book". [source: Friends of the Public Library e-mail] [all ages]

JayceLand Pick This evening at 6 p.m. in the Dryden Theatre at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) is a lecture by photographer David Friend on his new book, Watching the World Change: The Stories Behind the Images of 9/11. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

This evening from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Rundel Auditorium in the Rundel Building at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) is another meeting of The Inventor's Society of Western New York. [source: Rochester Public Library calendar] [all ages]

This evening at 7 p.m. at The Asbury First United Methodist Church (1050 East Ave.) is the monthly meeting of The Rochester Genealogical Society Tonight's program features Roscoe Hastings disussing It Was in the Newspaper so it Must Be True and Anita Hartwig discussing Retrieval and Special Services at the Rochester Public Library. [source: Rochester Genealogical Society website] [all ages]

Over at The Little Theatre Café (240 East Ave.) starting around 7:30 p.m. is Bazaha-Lala. [source: Rochester Cajun Zydeco calendar]

Tonight at Boulder Coffee Co.MySpace link (100 Alexander St.) is Zeb GouldMySpace link starting around 8 p.m. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages]

JayceLand Pick The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Sommaren med Monika (Summer with Monika) starting at 8 p.m. A woman has an affair with an errand boy and eventually leaves their child in his care. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

JayceLand Pick Tonight at A|V Art Sound Space (N. Union St. at Trinidad St., #8 in the Public Market, formerly the All-Purpose Room) is Cock E.S.P. which (based on a show in 2003) is a combination of
  • effects-based noise band
  • girl dressed as a prom queen
  • guy in a suit with a chicken head
  • guy in a suit with a donkey head
  • wrestling
  • 4 minutes
performing with Mr. Natural, R. Nuuja, and Tumul starting around 9 p.m. Note that Costes will not be performing. [source: A|V Space e-mail]

JayceLand Pick The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting Newspaper JoeMySpace link starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+]

Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30. [source: Daily Perks calendar]

Tonight at 8 p.m. at Bodhi's Cafe & Lounge (274 Goodman St. N., in Village Gate) is an Open Mic. [source: the proverbial grapevine]

Drinking Liberally meets at 8 p.m. tonight at Monty's Korner (355 East Ave.) [source: RocWiki calendar]


F
R
I
D
A
Y
Starting yesterday (for members of Friends of the Rochester Public Library) is the Giant Used Book Sale in the Kate Gleason Auditorium at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) which runs today and tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and then on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. [source: City Hall press release] [all ages]

JayceLand Pick This evening at 6 p.m. at Condé Photography (650 South Ave.) is an opening reception for The Night Gallery with Contemporary Paintings by Dan Kornguth, and Meta-Monument by Bleu Cease. [source: City Newspaper]

This evening starting around 8 p.m. at The Flat Iron Café (561 State St.) is a new Art Exhibit by Rachel Dow with music by Auto AnimalMySpace link and Peggacide. [source: Flat Iron Cafe webstie]

Over at The Bop Shop (274 N. Goodman St., in Village Gate Square) starting around 8 p.m. is The Adam Niewood QuartetMySpace link [source: Bop Shop calendar] [all ages]

Tonight at 8 p.m. is the opening performance of Epic Proportions at Blackfriars Theatre (28 Lawn St.) The play runs through March 31. [source: Blackfriars Theatre website]

Top Pick The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Jonestown: The Life and Death of People's Temple starting at 8 p.m. and then again on Sunday at 5 p.m. It's a documentary about Jim Jones whose followers committed mass-suicide in 1978. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

Over at The Montage Live Music HallMySpace link (50 Chestnut St., formerly the Montage Grille) starting around 10 p.m. is Hip Toss, fun ska from Mrs. Skannotto, and Addictive TragedyMySpace link. [source: Freetime]

Tonight starting around 10:30 p.m. at Monty's KrownMySpace link (875 Monroe Ave.) is the 4th Annual St Patrick's Day Throwdown with fun Irish-slanted punk band Tom Foolery and the ShannanighansMySpace link (not Shenanigans). [source: Freetime] [21+]

Tonight at 11 p.m. at TiLT Nightclub and Ultralounge (444 Central Ave.) is another Saints and Sinners Burlesque Show featuring a theme of The Women of Horror. [source: the proverbial grapevine] [18+]


S
A
T
U
R
D
A
Y
Saint Patrick's Day

Today at 1:30 p.m. at The Lincoln Branch Library (851 Joseph Ave.) is a discussion titled Hammers and Nails about Habitat for Humanity. [source: Friends of the Public Library e-mail] [all ages]

Today from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. is a free City Living Bus Tour of homes in the South area of the city starting at The Landmark Society of Western New York (133 S. Fitzhugh St.) [source: Landmark Society calendar]

JayceLand Pick L'il Anne and Hot Cayenne will be at The Bop Shop (274 N. Goodman St., in Village Gate Square) starting around 2 p.m. [source: Bop Shop calendar] [all ages]

JayceLand Pick The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing La règle du jeu (The Rules of the Game) starting at 8 p.m. Eastman House's calendar has this to say: "continually heralded as one of the ten greatest films in the history of the cinema, Renoir's bittersweet comedy about class distinction was originally banned for being too critical of French society. The multi-character story revolves around the guests gathered for a weekend of partying and hunting at a country chateau." [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

JayceLand Pick The Fuul Music HallMySpace link (37 Niagara St., Canandaigua) will be hosting the St Patty's Day Rock-n-Roll Extravaganza featuring awesome, tight, complex rock-and-roll from The VEiNSMySpace link, more rock from The Grinders, The Hounds of HellMySpace link, and Swab starting around 8:30 p.m. [source: Freetime]

Over at Java's (16 Gibbs St.) starting around 9 p.m. is The Binghamtonics. [source: Java's calendar] [all ages]

Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is The Clear, Anna MayGarageBand linkMySpace link, and Matthew JamesMySpace link starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [21+]

Tonight's another Betty's Sing-a-Long at Betty Meyer's Bullwinkle Café (622 Lake Ave., a.k.a. "Bullwinkle's") starting around 10.


S
U
N
D
A
Y
Today at Third Presbyterian Church (4 Meigs St., at the corner of East Ave.) is a discussion of Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. [source: Gay Alliance website]

This afternoon from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at The Wilson Foundation Academy (200 Genesee St., formerly The James Madison School of Excellence) is the last of three City Living Sundays about home buying in the south neighborhoods of Rochester. [source: Landmark Society calendar]

JayceLand Pick Today from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. is a Libraries Tea Talk in the Welles-Brown Room of The Rush Rhees Library in The University of Rochester (Library Rd. at Intercampus Dr., details on River Campus Map) featuring Peter Wisbey discussing Beyond the Folly: Reappraising William Henry Seward. [source: University of Rochester Events Calendar]

JayceLand Pick This afternoon from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. is the opening of A Photographer's Path at The Center at High Falls Fine Art Gallery (60 Browns Race) The exhibition runs through April 29. [source: Genesee Center for the Arts calendar] [all ages]

Top Pick Full, powerful, technical, elaborate rock from Knife CrazyGarageBand linkMySpace link, and ShuttlecockMySpace link will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+]

Tonight and every Sunday at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) is a Comedy Open Mic with Matt RohrMySpace link at 7:30 p.m. [source: the proverbial grapevine] [all ages]


M
O
N
D
A
Y
The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Jeanne Dielman 23, Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles starting early at 7 p.m. In it, a widow supports herself and her son by "taking in a 'gentleman caller' each afternoon" as the Eastman House calendar puts it. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

Tonight at 8 p.m. at Boulder Coffee Co.MySpace link (100 Alexander St.) is a special show by Geva Comedy ImprovMySpace link. [source: Geva Comedy Improv e-mail] [all ages]

WHHW, Stone BabyMySpace link, and The Subduction Zone will be at A|V Art Sound Space (N. Union St. at Trinidad St., #8 in the Public Market, formerly the All-Purpose Room) starting around 9 p.m. [source: A|V Space website]

Bored? Why not check out 1980's DJ night at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 11 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar]


T
U
E
S
D
A
Y
Great American Meatout

This morning at 7:30 a.m. in the cafeteria overlooking the arboretum in Bausch and Lomb (140 Stone St.) is the Artists Breakfast Group meeting ... anyone interested in art or creativity is invited.

JayceLand Pick Today from 12:12 p.m. to 12:52 p.m. in the Gleason Auditorium [give yourself a few extra minutes in case it's elsewhere] at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) is the season's first Books Sandwiched-In featuring Judge Roy W. King reviewing John Grisham's The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town. [source: Friends of the Public Library e-mail] [all ages]

JayceLand Pick The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Les quatre cents coups (The 400 Blows) starting at 8 p.m. about filmmaker François Truffat's own troubled childhood. Also showing is the short sequel, Antoine et Colette. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

Over at A|V Art Sound Space (N. Union St. at Trinidad St., #8 in the Public Market, formerly the All-Purpose Room) starting around 9 p.m. is PeeesseyeMySpace link, NPVMySpace link, and Crush the JuntaMySpace link. [source: A|V Space website]

Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9:30 p.m. is A Televised RealityMySpace link. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+]

Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is hosting an Acoustic Open Mic from 8 to 10. [source: Daily Perks calendar]


W
E
D
N
E
S
D
A
Y
Tonight at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is Nate Hanks starting around 6 p.m. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages]

Top Pick This evening at 7 p.m., The Baobab Cultural Center (728 University Ave., formerly on Gregory St.) will be showing the good documentary American Blackout about the trials of Representative Cynthia McKinney as she tries to bring honesty and truth to America. I reviewed the film in the November 16, 2006 JayceLand update. [source: Baobab website]

JayceLand Pick Tonight at 7 p.m. in the Gowen Room at The Wilson Commons at The University of Rochester (Library Road, details on River Campus Map) is a discussion titled Nature and Pursuit of Happiness featuring Richard Kraut. [source: University of Rochester Events Calendar]

The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting fun percussive groove-rock from The BuddhaHoodMySpace link starting around 8 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar]

This evening at 8 p.m. at A|V Art Sound Space (N. Union St. at Trinidad St., #8 in the Public Market, formerly the All-Purpose Room) is a showing of 40 Bands 80 Minutes! documenting 40 Los Angeles bands. [source: A|V Space website]

JayceLand Pick The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Susan Slept Here starting at 8 p.m., a satire of Hollywood in the 1950's along with short films Speaking of the Weather, and Now That Summer Is Gone. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

Poor People United meets tonight and every Wednesday at 7 at St. Joseph's House of Hospitality (402 South Ave.) [source: the proverbial grapevine]

There's an Open Mic for Acoustic Music at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) tonight around 8. [source: the proverbial grapevine]

Tonight at Café Underground Railroad (480 W. Main St.) is a Spoken Word/Poetry night starting around 9 p.m. [source: the proverbial grapevine]

  Vanity Page | Archives | About |

| Last Week |

Polls | Other Projects


Search this site or the web
powered by FreeFind

Site Web


Respond
| Read Guestbook
| Sign Guestbook
|



Current Rochester Weather

Click for Rochester, New York Forecast




Weekly Reminder E-Mail
E-mail:
More information




Internet Movie Database
On this day ... March 15



Advertising:



DreamHost web hosting
DreamHost Web Hosting

I use DreamHost to run JayceLand.com. Click the ad to buy hosting and I'll get money to run my site. Hooray!




JayceLand
Store at CafePress

Buy some JayceLand junk at sky high prices!


Donate through PayPal if you want to help pay for all this crap.






Related Sites:

Freetime Magazine
The City
Rochester Music Coalition
Rochester Wiki
Rochester Blog
Rochester Goes Out (D&C)
RochesterDowntown.com
Rochester Punk Rock
Jazz@Rochester
Jazz 90.1 Calendar
Delusions of Adequacy
Mystery and Misery
My Rochester
InfoRochester
@ Rochester
RochesterDrinks
Kids Out and About
Weather Underground



Blog-Related:


Movie links courtesy The Internet Movie Database. Map links courtesy Google Maps — sorry to those people with browsers not supported.

About the title ... Born 427 years ago in 1580, Peter Minuit grew up to be known as the guy who bought Manhattan Island for $24 in trinkets — teaching Native Americans an important lesson about trusting Europeans.

This page is Jason Olshefsky's list of things to do in Rochester, NY and the surrounding region (including nearby towns Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Victor, Henrietta, Gates, Chili, Greece, and Charlotte, and occasionally other places in Monroe County and the Western New York region.) It is updated every week with daily listings for entertainment, activities, performances, movies, music, bands, comedy, improv, poetry, storytelling, lectures, discussions, debates, theater, plays, and generally fun things to do. Music events are usually original bands with occasional cover bands and DJ's with musical styles including punk, emo, ska, swing, rock, rock-and-roll, alternative, metal, jazz, blues, noise band, experimental music, folk, acoustic, and "world-beat." Events listed take place during the day, in the evenings, or as part of the city's nightlife as listed. Although I'm reluctant to admit it, it is a Rochester blog and I'm essentially blogging about Rochester events. I also tend to express opinions, review past events, make reviews, speak of philosophy or of a philosophical nature, discuss humanity and creativity. Oh, and it's spelled JayceLand with no space and a capital L, not Jayce Land, Jaycee Land, Jace Land, Jase Land, Joyce Land, Jayce World, Jayceeland, Jaceland, Jaseland, Joyceland, Jayceworld, Jayceeworld, Jaceworld, Jaseworld, nor Joyceworld. (Now if you misspell it in some search engine, you at least get a shot at finding it.) It's also not to be confused with Jake's World or JakesWorld which is a site of a Rochester animator. While I'm on the topic of keywords for search engines, this update includes information for Thursday, March 15, 2007 (Thu, Mar 15, 2007, 3/15/2007, or 3/15/07) Friday, March 16, 2007 (Fri, Mar 16, 2007, 3/16/2007, or 3/16/07) Saturday, March 17, 2007 (Sat, Mar 17, 2007, 3/17/2007, or 3/17/07) Sunday, March 18, 2007 (Sun, Mar 18, 2007, 3/18/2007, or 3/18/07) Monday, March 19, 2007 (Mon, Mar 19, 2007, 3/19/2007, or 3/19/07) Tuesday, March 20, 2007 (Tue, Mar 20, 2007, 3/20/2007, or 3/20/07) and Wednesday, March 21, 2007 (Wed, Mar 21, 2007, 3/21/2007, or 3/21/07).


JayceLand Pick indicates an event that's a preferred pick of the day ... probably something worth checking out.

Top Pick indicates a "guaranteed" best bet for the particular genre of the indicated event.

GarageBand link links to a band's page on GarageBand.com which offers reviews and information about bands.

MySpace link links to a band's page on MySpace.com which is a friend-networking site that is popular with bands.

Fly the flag today. is a day when you should fly the flag according to the Veterans of Foreign Wars calendar.

[Current Week] [Weekly Archives] [About This Site] [Jayce's Old Vanity Page]

Copyright © 2007 Jason Olshefsky. All rights reserved.